Lengthy losing skid extended by Chen

Chin-Feng Chen hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the 13th inning as San Bernardino defeated Lancaster.

The San Bernardino Stampede were attempting to stay within a game of Rancho Cucamonga in the chase for the South Division first-half title. The Lancaster JetHawks were trying to halt a six-game losing skid.

At press time, neither team had been able to accomplish its goal, as the game was tied 4-4 entering the 13th inning before what was left of a season-high 4,961 in attendance at San Bernardino Stadium.

Despite only three charged errors in the game, both teams displayed fundamentals that will drive a manager to drink.

Both teams also watched 10th-inning scoring chances go by the wayside.

Lancaster loaded the bases with one out, but Jermaine Clark grounded into an inning-ending double play.

In the bottom half of the frame, San Bernardino got Nick Theodorou to second with two outs. Will McCrotty then singled into center field, but Harvey Hargrove, whose throwing error one night earlier led to the Stampede's game-winning run, made a strong throw to catcher Rafael Lopez in time for the tag out at the plate to send the game to the 11th.

Lancaster had perhaps one of the strangest rallies ever to tie the game. Trailing 4-0 entering the top of the third inning, the JetHawks pulled within one run without even registering a single base hit in the frame.

San Bernardino starter Lance Caraccioli, who retired six of the first seven batters he faced, suddenly lost all semblance of control. The Stampede left-hander walked the first two batters of the inning before firing wide to first base on a comebacker from Clark.

The error allowed Alex Fernandez to score the JetHawks' first run of the game.

Caraccioli retired Joel Ramirez for the first out of the inning, but Mike Marchiano and Ricky Magdaleno both drew walks off the 21-year-old. Magdaleno's free pass forced Scott Maynard home and brought an end to Caraccioli's night.

Even though he didn't allow a hit in 2 innings, Caraccioli was charged with three runs, one of which was earned, on five walks.

Greg Connors' sacrifice fly plated Clark to draw the JetHawks within 4-3, which is where the score stood until San Bernardino's charity once again led to a Lancaster run.

After Fernandez singled and stole second base, he came around to score when Stampede shortstop Eric Riggs threw the potential third out ground ball from Maynard to the railing behind first base.

It was Lancaster that was in the giving mood earlier in the game.

After allowing two runs on three hits in the first inning, JetHawks starter Neil Longo allowed a third run in the second inning when Riggs scored on Jimmy Gonzalez's fielder's choice groundout.

The next batter, Ismael Gallo, singled into right field, which started a bizarre chain of events that eventually included Gonzalez scoring the fourth run of the game and Gallo ending up on second base without an error charged to Lancaster.

Fernandez tried unsuccessfully to throw out Gonzalez at third base. On the throw, Gallo broke for second base and just barely beat the throw from Magdaleno. But in the confusion, Gonzalez sprinted home, apparently without catching Lancaster's attention until he crossed the plate.

Longo shut down the Stampede for the rest of his seven innings of work, allowing the four earned runs on nine hits and two hit batters while striking out two and walking none.